New to this :(

[Dcadirish3]

Well,
I am new here all. I have been to a GI bc my doctor found a fissure off the midline during a check up. My GI is super nice and suggested a small bowel series x-ray. I do have narrowing/inflammation right where the small and large intestine meet. I have a colonoscopy scheduled this coming Tuesday. The GI said the Crohn's is a possibility because of the fissure and x-ray.

She did say that a lot of times when people are diagnosed in their mid 30's to 40's ( I am 37 yr old male) that Crohn's tends to be a mild form. Has anyone experienced or heard similar?

I don't know much about Crohn's bc I am not meeting with the GI again until after the colonoscopy.

I do have anxiety which makes things worse (my mind wonders and thinks the worst).

I have been feeling bloated and have had pain near my right hip. Not sure if it is my anxiety or not

I am still kind of in shock bc physically all I have had is fissure, this bloating and the occasional diarrhea 2x a month.

Sorry for the novel but just new to all this.

I don't want to read a 100 articles on symptoms and stories of Crohn's bc I have learned all that can drive you a little crazy. My big fear is an ileostomy or stoma, I don't want to offend anyone but I am scared of one. My GI said not to worry about this as those are rare and seen in severe cases. She said that people have long normal lives on meds and good diet.

Does the swelling in the intestines go away with meds? Or are your intestines permanently damaged once you have had some swelling?

Sorry if these questions are silly...just trying to wrap my mind around some of this.
Thanks all

 

[michaelearnest]

Hello there - 49 male with Crohns since 1988. I have been on diet and meds since then and have not had to have an Ostomy. I have been through Hell and back because in 1988 people really didn't know what Crohns was or is. Today we have the internet, forums, better research, better medications, etc. I have been through tons of colonoscopy's and don't listen to the horror stories. Having my colonoscopy done is the best sleep I ever get. The only bad part is the prep, thinking you are starving, but in reality its only for a 24 hour period. My best advice on the prep is to taper down on the amount of food that you eat 3 days before the prep so there is less to clear out. If you do have Crohns, do not freak out, I have had a great life! I'm more healthy now than I was in 1988. Hop back on here when you find out and let us know, its a great group of people.

 

[Thermo]

Did they identify a stricture as well? I don't want to be the bearer of bad news for you but it's likely that you have had this disease your entire life and have been living with it for years now without a diagnosis. While it might be minor you could just have a high pain tolerance, how long have you had symptoms? Narrowing is caused by inflammation and stricturing is caused by scar tissue from inflammation so it's a natural progression of the disease over years and years. But you are having obstruction symptoms so you need to switch to a low residue diet and get the inflammation under control with medication to figure out if you have a stricture or not. The fistula while I'm sure very painful is probably not going to be the determining factor of what happens next it will be the narrowing, if you cant get that under control you will need surgery. How long have you had symptoms? As michaelearnest said don't be scared you will do just fine with this disease and it sounds like you have a good doc.

 

[Dcadirish3]

I have had bloating feeling for one week. I really have not had stomach issues during my life, pain....etc.
they didnt say anything about stricturing. Just fhat there was narrowing/ inflammation

 

[Thermo]

Sounds great then, good luck with colonoscopy let us know how it goes. If they start talking about medications I recommend looking up sulfasalazine and antibiotics for the fissure, I would be interested to hear what your doctor recommends as well.